Sivalarpatti Lease - II (Extent - 129.72 Ha.) of M/s The Ramco Cements Limited, Tamil Nadu BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE PROJECT 1.0 GENERAL This proposal is for maximum production of 0.21 Million TPA of limestone (0.24 Million TPA of ROM) in the applied mine lease area of 129.72Ha of Sivalarpatti lease - II of M/s. TRCL for obtaining ToR from MoEF&CC towards getting environmental clearance which is the pre-requisite to obtain order for granting/executing the mine lease. M/s. The Ramco Cements Limited (TRCL) is a flag ship company of Ramco Group of Industries in southern India, which has diversified industrial products like textiles, information technology, asbestos, etc. besides cement. M/s. TRCL having cement units in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka States. The raw material Limestone required for these plants are mostly met by nearby captive limestone mines of TRCL. M/s. The Ramco Cements Limited (TRCL) is operating a cement plant with 2.0 MTPA capacity at Ramasamyraja Nagar in Virudhunagar District of Tamil Nadu. The raw material for this cement plant is met from the mines located in Sivalarpatti, Melvenkateswarapuram mines (MV Puram), Pandalgudi & Maravarperungudi. The Limestone from Sivalarpatti and Pandalgudi deposits is marginally above cement grade and the Maravarperungudi and Melavenkateswarapuram deposits are of low grade in nature. In order to meet the quantitative and qualitative requirements, all the four mines are being operated simultaneously. Now, TRCL has preferred a Fresh lease application for Sivalarpatti lease - II over an area of 129.72 Ha in Kullakattankurichi, Pudur, Muthusamypuram, Sivalarpatti and Vannipatti villages, Vilathikulam Taluk, Thoothukudi District which is adjacent to the existing mining lease granted vide G.O.Ms.No.334 (150.11 Ha). After due scrutiny, the State Government issued precise area commutation vide letter No 10045/MMA1/2006-7 dated 29.04.2013 for 129.72 Ha. Subsequently, Department of Geology and Mining, Government of Tamilnadu carried out exploration work in this lease based on Government order issued by the Department of Industries, Government of Tamilnadu vide G.O. (Ms.) No.217 dated 11.09.2015. Based on the Geological assessment carried out by the Department of Geology and Mining, the Mining Plan is being prepared to submit it to Indian Bureau of Mines for their approval. The feasibility report is prepared based this Mine Plan. Environmental clearance from MOEF&CC is the pre-requisite to obtain order for granting/executing the mine lease. For obtaining environmental clearance, as per MOEF&CC notification of September 2006, Form I and Feasibility report have to be submitted along with Creative Engineers & Consultants, Chennai – 600 059 i Sivalarpatti Lease - II (Extent - 129.72 Ha.) of M/s The Ramco Cements Limited, Tamil Nadu Terms of reference (TOR) for the project stipulating the TOR from MOEF&CC, New Delhi, Govt. of India. This project falls under category “A” as per MoEF&CC notification in this respect, because of mining lease area is more than 50 Ha. Hence, Form – I, ToR and feasibility report have to be submitted to MoEF&CC, New Delhi for their approval and prescribing ToR and according EC after submission of EIA/EMP report to them. The entire limestone output from the project will be for captive consumption at cement plant of TRCL located at a distance of 35 Km in R.R Nagar. In total mine lease area of 129.72 Ha, an area of 0.975 Ha is Government Poramboke land and 128.745 Ha is patta land. Entire patta lands applied for Mining Lease is under TRCL’s possession. The total project capital cost is to be Rs. 307.28 Lakhs. The area lies in Survey of India Toposheet No.58 K / 3 between coordinates Latitude 9º17’47” to 9º19’59” N and Longitude 78°08’32” to 78°09’54” E. The project site is flat with an elevation ranging from 61 to 67 metres above MSL. The area is approachable by a black top road leading from Pudur to Melarunachalapuram village via Melvenkateswarapuram. The area can also be reachable by a road leading from Sivalarpatti village to Kambathupatti village. The lease area does not include any forest lands. No ecologically sensitive features like national parks, biospheres, sanctuaries, elephant corridors, Tiger reserves, flight paths of migrating fauna, etc occur in core areas of the project. The area does not come under CRZ category. There is no prominent river or stream running in this area. Uppu odai is located at a distance of 7 km – E from mine lease boundary. The project site is well connected with major district towns, being accessible from Madurai, via Aruppukkottai and from port city of Thoothukudi via Vilathikulam by all-weather black topped road. The road distance from Madurai is about 80 kms and the nearest rail head at Aruppukkottai is at a road distance of about 27 kms from the study area. Pudur, located at a road distance of 4 Kms, Out of 129.72 Ha applied lease area, about 13.79 Ha. is mineralized extent and the balance 115.93 Ha. of land is non-mineralized area, where the reject dumps are in exist over an extent of 43.48 Ha. just adjacent to the existing mining lease area of TRCL granted vide G.O.Ms.No. 334 dated 23.12.1994. Mining operation will be carried out by open cast mining method to produce 0.21 Million TPA of limestone (0.24 Million TPA of ROM) by working the deposit by systematic formation of benches as per Mines Act, 1952, Metalliferous Mines Regulations 1961 and other applicable Creative Engineers & Consultants, Chennai – 600 059 ii Sivalarpatti Lease - II (Extent - 129.72 Ha.) of M/s The Ramco Cements Limited, Tamil Nadu laws. Mining Plan for the same being prepared and submitted to Indian Bureau of Mines for their approval. In this lease, apart from the conventional method of blasting, latest method of Non- Electric system using Shock tube detonators & Noiseless Trunk line delays as initiation system will be used. The ultimate depth of mining will be upto 26 RL (35 m (bgl)) from 61 RL. The Bench height will be maintained as 9 m and Bench width is 9 m with Bench slope is 45º. The total geological reserves from the mine as per UNFC classification is 4.019 Million tonnes and the entire proved mineral reserves of 2.48 Million tonnes are estimated as mineable reserves. At the proposed rate of production of 0.21 Million TPA of limestone (0.24 Million TPA of ROM) the life of mine will be 11 years. About 1.279 million Tonnes (0.468 mil.cum) of waste comprising 0.086 Million tonnes (0.051 million cu.m) of topsoil, 1.193 million tonnes (0.417 million Cu.m) of OB& ISR is likely to be generated till the end of life of mine. Top soil will be stacked separately and will be used for reclamation purposes. The waste/OB will be accommodated in the form of dump in the earmarked non mineralized area and some Quantity of this waste will be utilized for road repairs/bund formation. Proper terracing will be done along dump slopes to provide better slope stability. Besides, drain, retaining wall will be provided around the dump. The inactive dump top and slopes will be stabilized by suitable vegetation techniques. There will not be any effluent generation from this mine. No back filling is proposed till its conceptual stage. The deposit will be mined up to 26 RL (36 m depth). Further deeper mining could be possible after amalgamating with the adjacent lease hold area granted in Sivalarpatti vide G.O.Ms.No.334. Till such time, the mined out pit will be utilized as water reservoir. The mining operation in Sivalarpatti lease - II has provided direct employment for about 32 persons. Besides, about 150 persons are indirectly employed in allied services like logistics, etc. The total water requirement for the Sivalaraptti lease – II mine is 50 m3/day comprises the water requirement for domestic sanitary needs of 5.0 KLD & for industrial activities such as dust suppression and green belt development etc is 45 KLD. The exhausted Pit at Pandalgudi Mine of the company being utilized as Water Reservoir and the same will be utilized as water source for this project too. TRCL has established a water Creative Engineers & Consultants, Chennai – 600 059 iii Sivalarpatti Lease - II (Extent - 129.72 Ha.) of M/s The Ramco Cements Limited, Tamil Nadu treatment plant at their Pandalgudi Mine to treat the mine water for drinking purposes for both colony and other mines work sites. All the services like site office, cool potable water and other necessary amenities will be provided at the site. The requisite services like first aid station, rest shelter, drinking water, sanitation facilities will be provided at the mine site. Existing Mine office established at Sivalarpatti Mine (currently operating Mining Lease) will be utilized for overall management of total operations for this lease area also. To facilitate the maintenance of all equipments, there is a central workshop for electrical, mechanical and instrumentation repairs at Pandalgudi Mines. Green belt is proposed along the mine periphery over an extent of 8.24 hectare during first five year scheme period. While the species chosen for green belt are fast growing with good canopy and dense leaf density, the avenue plantation shall have fruit and flower bearing and some ornamental plants to give good aesthetic look. It is planned to plant Neem, Tamarind, Pungai, Naval, Jetropha, Mango etc. M/s. The Ramco Cements Limited has already undertaken excellent social welfare improvement schemes in the adjacent areas.